Liquid distribution device



April 1958 L. G. HILKEMEIER 2,828,765

LIQUID DISTRIBUTION DEVICE Filed Jan. 21, 1955 2o 24 Fl G. 2

LOUIS G.HILKEME|ER IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent LiQUm DISTRIBUTiQN DEVICE Louis G. Hilkemeier, Plainfield, N. 5., assignor to Worth ington Corporation, Harrison, N. 3., a corporation of Delaware Application .lanuary 21, 1955, Serial No. 483,239

3 Claims. (Cl. 137512.4)

The present invention relates to a rotatable drum for mixing concrete and more .particularly to a water distribution device therefor.

in making concrete in a rotatable drum, sand, stone, and cement are passed therein, a certain quantity of water is then introduced, and the drum is rotated until a homogeneous mixture of the ingredients results. The water distribution device, through which water is introduced into the drum, may be submerged in the con-' crete making ingredients. The principal difliculty with such an arrangement of the device is that the valve erein may not always seat perfectly because grout or concrete may lodge between the valve and'its seat or even pass into the water supply system of the device to clog it. This will cause the device to become ineffective or even disrupt its function entirely.

In accordance with the present invention, a water distribution device is provided for arrangement in a mixing drum having resilient valve means which may operate submerged in the concrete making ingredients and which has a self-cleaning action that prevents grout or concrete particles from lodging between the'seat and valve means. The present invention provides a water distribution device with valve means having a portion thereon forming a fluid tight relationship with the outlet end of the body and another portion forming a fluid tight relationship with the outer periphery of the body.

The invention will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the water distribution device of the present invention embodied in a concrete mixing drum.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the water distribution device of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is an end view of the inlet end of the device of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral designates a water distribution device positioned in the lower end of a concrete mixing drum 11. Drum 11 is rotated about its central axis in a suitable manner and a pump 12 is associated therewith to supply water under pressure to the device.

The water distribution device 16 comprises a substantially cylindrical hollow body or housing 13 having an inlet 14 at one end and an outlet 15 at the opposite end thereof. External threads 16 are disposed on the body adjacent the inlet end thereof for connecting the body to pump discharge pipe 17 in communication with pump 12.

A flexible cup shaped valve 18 is arranged on the opposite end of body 13 adjacent outlet 15. Valve 18 comprises a substantially flat disc 19 having an axial bore therein and a side portion or skirt 20 extending therefrom. An annular shoulder or ring 21 of substantially the same diameter as body 13 is formed on the '2 inner side of the disc to seat against the discharge edge or'seat 22 of the body to maintain a 'fluidtight relationship therebetween. The inner diameter of skirt20'is of Y substantially the same diameter as the .outer periphery 23 of body 13 to seat the skirt snugly against :the outside of the body to maintain a'fluid tight relationship :therebetween. Skirt 20 isprovided with an outwardly flared portion 24 at the point it joins disc portion 19 ;to.form an annular recess 25 on the inner surface thereof. Valve 18 is made of a resilient material, for example, rubber, which is readily deformable so that the valve will maintain a fluid tight relationship with the body in a closed position, as hereinafter described.

A bar 26 having a central opening therein .is positioned in body 13 and extends transversely therein between the opposite side walls of the body to which it is secured by welds 27. The bar is substantially rectangular shaped in cross section (Fig. 3;) with the opposite-ends curved to conform to the shape of the body 13 and provides :passageways 28 and 29 (Fig. 3) on opposite sides thereof.

A bushing 31 is disposed within the axial bore ofvalve disc 19 and is provided with a shoulder 31 on the end thereof adjacent the inner side of the disc. Bushing .30 is mounted on a shaft or rod '32 which extends axially of body 13 substantially beyond the opposite ends thereof. A sleeve 33 is disposed on the shaft between the inlet end of body 13 and shoulder 31. Sleeve 33 is adapted to fit within the axial bore of bar 26 and has a compression spring 34- arranged thereon between the inlet end of body 13 and bar 26. A disc 35 having a central opening therein is disposed on shaft 32 adjacent the outer side of disc 19. Nuts 36 and 37 are threaded on the oppositeends of shaftl32 adjacent sleeve 33 and disc 35,, respectively.

In operation, valve 18 is normally 'retainedin'a closed or seated position on body -13- bythe'force ortensionin spring 34 exerted against washer 38 and nuts 36. This force is transmitted therefrom through shaft 32, nut 37 and disc 35 to valve 18, causing ring 21 to seat against the edge 22 of the body in a fluid tight relationship. Also, since valve 18 is made of a resilient material and the internal diameter of side portion or skirt 20 of the valve corresponds to the diameter of the periphery 23, skirt 20 grips the outer periphery 23 of the body in a fluid tight relationship to prevent grout or concrete particles from entering body 13.

When it is desired to mix concrete in the drum, sand,

stone, and cement are passed therein, the drum is rotated,

and pump 12 is operated to supply water to water distribution device 10 under a pressure greater than the value of the force in compression spring 34. Water enters device 10 from discharge pipe 17 through inlet 14 therein, thereafter flowing through passageways 28 and 29 therein to the discharge end thereof and into contact with valve disc 19. Since the pressure of the water is greater than the value of the force in spring 34 retaining valve 18 seated against the discharge end of body 13, valve disc 19 is lifted or disengaged from contact with edge 22 of body 13 and skirt 20 slides or moves along periphery 23 in a direction toward outlet 15. Thereafter, water passes between ring 21 and edge 22 of the body and into annular recess 25. The water will then expand or flex the resilient skirt 20 away fromperiphery 23 of the body and flow therebetween into the drum.

When the desired quantity of water has been flowed into the drum, pump 12 is stopped and the water pressure falls below the force or tension in spring 34. Skirt 20 contracts or springs back to its former shape and engages periphery 23 of the body in a fluid tight relationship, and slides or moves along periphery 23 in the opposite direction or away from outlet 15 of the body,

cleaning or wiping any concrete particles in front of it as it slides or moves therealong. Thus, the present invention provides a water distribution device which has a valve on the discharge end thereof, another valve on the outside thereof, and which provides a self-cleaning or wiping action which prevents grout and concrete particles from lodging therein.

The present invention also provides a water distribution device which automatically closes when a vacuum pressure exists in the water supply line thereto to prevent grout from lodging therein. This result is obtained because disc 19 seats on the body when the water pressure in line 17 decreases below the force exerted by spring 34, and skirt 20 contracts to its former shape in a fluid tight relationship with periphery 23 with said loss of pressure.

silient valve means comprising a disc having a skirt eX- tending therefrom, an annular ring formed on the inner side of the disc adapted to seat on said outlet end in fluid sealing engagement, an annular recess in said resilient valve means defining a flow reversing passage about the inner periphery of said skirt and adjacent the annular ring, said skirt having substantially the same internal diameter as the external diameter of said hollow body whereby said skirt prevents the entry of foreign matter into said annular recess and said annular ring prevents the entry of foreign matter into said hollow body, a spring operatively connected to said disc to seat the annular ring when the pressure of liquid flowing through said body is below a predetermined value, and said pressurized liquid to slide said valve means in one direction to unseat the annular ring when the pressure exceeds a predetermined value whereby pressurized liquid flows into said annular recess to unseat said skirt.

2. A liquid distribution device for mixers comprising a hollow body having an inlet to pass liquid therein and an outlet to discharge liquid therefrom, means for connecting the body to a source of liquid under pressure, resilient valve means comprising a disc having a skirt extending therefrom, an annular ring formed on the inner side of the disc adapted to seat on said outlet end in fluid sealing engagement, an annular recess in said resilient valve means defining a flow reversing passage about the inner periphery of said skirt and adjacent the annular ring, said skirt having substantially the same internal diameter as the external diameter of said hollow body whereby said skirt prevents the entry of foreign matter into said annular recess and said annular ring prevents the entry of foreign matter into said hollow body, a spring including mounting means therefor operatively connecting said spring to said disc to hold said annular ring in fluid sealing engagement with the end of said hollow body when the pressure of liquid flowing through said hollow body is below a predetermined value, and said pressurized liquid to slide said valve means in one direction to unseat the annular ring when the pressure exceeds a predetermined value whereby pressurized liquid flows into said annular recess to unseat said skirt.

3. The liquid distribution device of claim 2 wherein said mounting means comprises a bushing member operatively connected at one end to the spring and disposed concentrically with the annular ring on one side of the disc, and a washer member on the other side of said disc fixedly connected to the end of said bushing remote from the end connected to said spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,833,796 Aquiar y Rivero Nov. 24, 1931 1,956,521 Ball Apr. 24, 1934 2,244,997 Lepper June 10, 1941 2,655,178 Sarosdy Oct. 13, 1953 2,697,637 Mittelstadt Dec. 21, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,031,887 France Mar. 25, 1953 

